EAST LONDON, Eastern Cape — As the 2026 Local Government Elections approach, the United Democratic Movement (UDM) is intensifying its campaign with a clear focus on municipal accountability and service delivery. UDM President General Bantu Holomisa recently detailed the party’s comprehensive manifesto, outlining a pragmatic strategy to address infrastructure decay, clean up governance, and improve community safety ahead of the November 4 polls.
A Manifesto Rooted in Basic Services and Clean Governance
Launched at the party’s 6th National Congress in East London on June 27, the UDM’s manifesto is built around 12 pillars, with four core areas taking center stage. The party’s primary focus is on “fixing the basics,” which includes restoring reliable water, sanitation, refuse collection, road maintenance, and electricity grid security.
Equally prominent is the push for clean governance. The UDM is calling for an end to political appointments, advocating instead for merit-based hiring, tightened audit controls, and strict consequence management to hold corrupt officials accountable. Holomisa emphasized that the politicization of municipal sectors and political interference in tenders are actively crippling South Africa, openly labeling those who steal government funds as “thieves.”
The remaining core pillars focus on local economic enablement—cutting municipal red tape to support small businesses, township enterprises, and informal traders—and community safety. Notably, the manifesto stresses practical infrastructure maintenance, urging municipalities to fix and protect existing assets rather than pursuing unsustainable new projects.
Navigating Ballot Challenges and Coalition Politics
With just 35 days remaining until voters head to the polls, Holomisa has been actively campaigning across the Eastern Cape, visiting areas such as Flagstaff, Libode, and Elliotdale. However, the campaign has faced logistical and legal hurdles, particularly in the Buffalo City Municipality (BCM).
The UDM’s deputy president, Nqabayomzi Kwankwa, is the party’s mayoral candidate for Buffalo City. Recently, the party encountered issues with its Proportional Representation (PR) lists, with only the mayoral candidate appearing on the submitted list while ward candidates were absent. Holomisa defended the submission, stating it aligns with the Municipal Structures Act, which allows a party to register one person for the PR list and fill the remaining seats once the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) allocates them.
Holomisa attributed the late submission to severe IT and broadband infrastructure deficits in rural areas, arguing that the courts should consider these systemic challenges. The UDM’s legal team is currently joining the court case after the ANC filed papers regarding the dispute.
Despite these challenges, the UDM’s strategy in Buffalo City and other municipalities is to secure enough seats to become a highly influential player in coalition negotiations. Holomisa predicts that the coalition politics seen in the 2024 national elections will cascade to the local government level, effectively ending one-party dominance at the municipal level.
In the KSD municipality, the UDM has fielded Prince Mlimandlela Ndamase as its mayoral candidate. Ndamase, who defected from the ANC in August, was defended by Holomisa as a “son of the soil” with deep knowledge of both local and national politics, making him the ideal candidate to reverse the area’s municipal decline.
Tackling Crime, GBV, and Municipal Safety
Community safety remains a paramount concern for voters. Responding to the President’s recent address acknowledging failures in combating gender-based violence (GBV) and announcing a 60-day national recovery plan for unresolved violent crimes, Holomisa agreed that the admission echoes public sentiment. He stressed that the entire criminal justice system, including intelligence gathering and court efficiencies, requires urgent review and funding.
At the local government level, the UDM proposes a hands-on approach to safety. Holomisa outlined a plan to work directly with the national South African Police Service (SAPS) while proposing the creation of small, municipal-owned police units to patrol local areas, enforce bylaws, and clean up illegal dumping. He also emphasized the importance of fixing streetlights and urban decay to breed safer environments. Advising municipalities to bypass provincial governments, which he described as ineffective, Holomisa urged local councils to deal directly with national government to secure police vehicles and training resources.
National Security and the Death Penalty Debate
Serving a dual role as the Deputy Minister of Defense, Holomisa also addressed the deployment of the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) in crime hotspots. Following recent massacres, including an incident in Wedela and ongoing struggles with illegal miners, Holomisa clarified the military’s mandate. He noted that the SANDF is not trained for frontline criminal investigations but rather to cordon off areas and support the police when requested. He expressed concern over potential police corruption highlighted in recent commissions of inquiry, stressing that intelligence gathering must be prioritized.
When asked about the growing political debate surrounding the reintroduction of the death penalty to combat violent crime, Holomisa stated the UDM’s definitive position: the issue should be put to a national referendum, and the government must implement the results of the public’s vote.
As the election countdown continues, the UDM maintains that it is willing to form coalitions with any party at the local government level. According to Holomisa, the ultimate goal is to depoliticize municipal operations and focus entirely on delivering reliable services to the people of South Africa.
